FROGS
We have probably all ventured outside at night and heard frogs croaking their lungs out and
thinking all the frogs in the district are gathered in this one area because of the extent of the noise. It
fact if you listen closely there may be only 15- 20 frogs making all the noise. Their sound is quite
loud and distinct (considering the size of the creature) and can be heard up to 1 km away.
From my findings there are 32 species of frogs in Victoria of which only 12 species occur within
our area of Gippsland. Frog species are found to be restricted to designated areas and if relocated
(by people) outside their designated area they generally do not survive. So we should not try to
recolonise frogs by moving them from the area where we find them. Even relocation of frog-spawn
within their own designated area is often unsuccessful and illegal.
There is a general conception that frogs live in water. This is not correct. In fact frogs will drown if
they cannot get ready access to land. All frogs like water but they live underground or under logs or
rocks (where it is damp) and only venture into water for breeding or feeding. Frogs can be active
during the day, particularly if it is wet but they are at their most active at night time. So unless you
disturb one whilst moving rocks or soil you will probably need to go “hunting” at night time to see
them. Take a torch and you will see there eyes shining. With a light shining in their eyes frogs tend
to freeze in their current position allowing you to get a close look at them.
How deep do frogs burrow ? – knee-deep, knee-deep
Apart from visual identification, frogs can be identified by their call. Generally the calls we hear are
of the male during the breeding season. Individual frog calls are available on the internet – refer
below for website.
Frogs breed when the male fertilises the eggs that are laid in the water by the female. The eggs are
generally kept in a cluster by a jelly like substance. Some groups of eggs float on top of the water
whilst others sink and lay on the bottom. The eggs hatch into tadpoles which have gills allowing
them to breathe underwater (they cannot survive out of water).
The transition period from tadpole to frog varies considerably. The Southern Brown Tree frog takes
8 to 10 weeks to develop whereas the Banjo frog can take up to 15 months hence a year round water
supply is required for Banjo frogs to survive.
Some interesting facts:
•Frogs do not drink. They absorb moisture through their skin
•Frogs are carnivores and only eat live creatures swallowing them whole
•Frogs have teeth but do not chew their prey; the teeth just assist in holding the prey
•Some frogs only lay 2 or 3 eggs per hatching whilst others lay tens of thousands
•Frogs retract their eyes into the back of their mouth to assist in swallowing their prey
•The male frog is smaller than his female mate
•A frog’s tongue is covered with a sticky mucus to assist it when catching prey
•The general life span of a frog is 4 to 15 years depending upon the species
•Tadpoles are vegetarian and only eat plants
•The collective noun for frogs is Army
Unfortunately frogs are declining in numbers throughout Australia generally due to;
•loss of habitat
•introduced species (which either eat them or destroy their habitat)
•introduced chemicals and herbicides
So in order to maintain frog populations we all need to consider these aspects in our day to day
activities.
The frogs I have found on my property are all common to the area. I have come across them
generally whilst digging soil or moving logs which have been in close contact with the soil for a
long period.
Eastern Banjo Frog or Pobblebonk Frog
These grow up to 70mm long. Their call is a
distinct and sharp Bonk sound at approximately
1 second intervals. The back of the Pobblebonk is
rough and warty. Some people think this warty
appearance designates them as toads but this is
not the case, many frogs have a warty
appearance..
Southern Brown Tree Frog
These grow up to 60mm long. Their call is a long
series (5-15) of rapid notes (or trill) the first note
being extended like creeeeeeeeeee cree cree cree.
Lesueur's Tree Frog or Stoney Creek
Frog
These grow to about 55 mm.. Their call is
a short soft trill rapidly repeated like
Creww crewwk
crewwwwk.
These photos are of frogs on my property. Colours and markings can vary from area to area.
I have never found either of the above Tree frogs in a tree. Has anyone ??
What frogs do you have about your place. Email details and photographs for publication in the
newsletter so we can all share in your experience.
If you go to Frogs.org.au website this gives details of all the frogs for our region. It also has
recordings of their sounds which can help you identify which frogs you hear about your place.
What happened to the frog's car when his parking meter expired? He got toad.
Landcare is about protecting and restoring our environment to allow all forms of nature (fauna and flora) to
survive in harmony and balance. I do not claim to be an expert on Flora and Fauna but have based this article
on my own experiences and readings on the subject.
So as part of the Bingi Landcare newsletter, with each publication, I aim to contribute an article on a species
of either fauna or flora which is indigenous to our area to stimulate interest in our native flora and fauna.
In addition I also invite everyone to forward their own experiences and photographs so these can be shared
with other members by including them in the newsletter.
Your contributions can be emailed direct to me at [email protected] or to Kaye Proudley at
[email protected]
(Author John McClumpha, Hedley Range Road, June 2011)